“He did some things. He didn’t do everything,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow. I think that will be the big key – how he responds to this today.”

Asked how encouraged he was by what Gronkowski did Thursday on his sprained left ankle, Belichick said, “It was good. It was fine. We’ll see where he is tomorrow — whether that set him back, whether it didn’t and whether he’s able to continue to progress on a daily basis. But it was a good test for him, too, at least. At least he was out here and did some things to see how it feels. We’ll see how it goes.”

The Patriots are hopeful to have the record setter available Sunday when they face the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.

“It’s the Super Bowl, I’m doing everything I can possibly do to get out there,” Gronkowski said Thursday morning before taking part in the second half of a two-hour afternoon practice. “I want to be out there no matter what, even if it’s not at full speed.”

Gronkowski did not practice Wednesday as the Patriots prepare to face the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.

“Whatever the trainers tell me to do,” Gronkowski said. “Obviously, I wasn’t able to practice yesterday, but I’m making positive strides.”

Working in helmets and shells, the Patriots ran drills inside the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Belichick said his players had “good energy. They worked hard.”

Belichick gave his team a 30-minute break during the middle of practice to mimic the extended halftime coming Sunday.

“We were trying to simulate the best we can,” Belichick said. “It’s not perfect but it’s the best we could do. Practice, take a break, come back out and restart.”

Belichick said Friday’s practice would be “more review. Obviously, we don’t have much new going in. Just kind of making sure everything we have going in we’ve got right.”

Gronkowski was injured in the AFC Championship on Jan. 22. He arrived here in a walking boot but has not worn it in public since Tuesday.

“There’s frustration a little bit, but it is what it is right now,” Gronkowski said. “I’ve just got to put that in the back of my mind, just worry about the things I can control.”

He denied the team was looking for a special cleated shoe for him to wear.

“I don’t know where that (story) came from,” he said. “We’ll just see what happens when it comes to game time.”